The Horthy Maddening (Hungary 1936)

[Ghery]

BTW where's Hamlet, then?

 

[unmerged(88697)]

For Empire

Ok, I've got my Horthy-branded lunchbox and am subscribed to this thread. Looking forward to a return to the old Austro-Hungarian, err, Hungarian-Yugo empire.

 

[HungaryForBlood]

Maj. von Mauser: Hopefully some enterprising young modder will take the time to lovingly detail all the wonderful vehicles of the period. But it would also really be the sort of thing I'd pay a couple bucks to paradox for... and if they did it for all countries, and also visually improved the battle screen to be a little more symbolic of what's going on, like the naval battles, that'd be just swell. it'd be like the sims stuff packs! I AM ASKING TO BE EXTORTED!!

VA_Magoo: Hmm... I have a feeling we may be discussing different things...
But yeah, I don't think we'll see Obama pitting countries against each other anytime soon. That's more Cheney's deal.

Notelpats: Thank you! I haven't been attempting any particular parallels, but it has been a fairly conventional story, with definite shades of Lear. Maybe next time I'll do a purposeful re-enactment of Othello..

Ghery: Hamlet's probably off dealing with his crazy girlfriend. In Denmark.

Valentinan: Ah, good, a lunchbox sale! I was wondering if I'd ever clear the shelves of those. Be careful; anything you store in it ends up tasting kinda like pancakes. Thanks for joining us!

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I'm not going to promise an update tonight, since the next one is a very important one indeed, but it will certainly be my intent to produce one!

 

[Myth]

So, is Hungary about to be torn about by civil war?

 

[Ghery]

No just Csssákkyyy's limbssss and pieces

 

[HungaryForBlood]

The Horthy Maddening
Chapter Finale, Part I​

July 1, 1937, 05:00
Outskirts of Budapest, Southeast (Village of Alsónémedi)

Horthy's eyes dart back and forth, little dancers to a repetitive techno beat. He is looking for something, but the something is in his mind only. The only things he can actually see right now are the people and objects inside the tank. He is not looking at them, although a few of them are looking at him; he's been apparently lost in frantic thought for nearly an hour. Tensions are high--the tank commander is maintaining his professionalism, but he is, after all, a relative rookie, and has no personal stake in this silly little mission. Meanwhile, Szell and Andorka are quiet, but clearly doubt the viability of Horthy's plan. Miklós has no choice but to support his father, and honestly, none of them can come up with anything better.

Horthy has explained, with great difficulty and with several unrelated, normally pastry-centric, digressions, that he believes Csáky's weaknesses are two in number: an inability or unwillingness to pay attention to details, and a rage-fueled tunnel vision when he sees something he doesn't like. He needed to take Romania in order to regain Transylvania, his homeland. He caused thousands of deaths and broke countless international treaties and protocols in doing so; his entire existence for those several months was dedicated toward the conquest. So Horthy is hoping that the same blinding one-mindedness can be counted on to leave him vulnerable, if it can be provoked in a controlled situation.

"Sir," says the tank commander, "We're at the north edge of the town. What are your orders?"

"There's no time to waste!" says Horthy. "If he doesn't know we're here already, he soon will. Fire!"

--------------------​

June 1, 1937, 05:30
Budapest, Royal Palace

"What?!? I'm busy!"

Darányi enters Csáky's study, where Csáky is frantically buttoning up his shirt and hiding papers under other papers. Willfully ignoring whatever thoughts come to mind, Darányi simply delivers his news.

"Just to get this out of the way, there's been a revolt in Romania."

"Crussshhh it. Go away."

"Well, also, uh, the traitors have arrived, sir."

"Ahhhh, exccccellent. They are approaching the cccccity?"

"Er... no. They've halted outside Pest, in Alsónémedi."

"And what are they doooooing, you fool?"

"They seem to be... having a party, sir."

--------------------​

July 1, 1937, 06:00
Outskirts of Budapest, Southeast (Village of Alsónémedi)

Villagers continue to emerge from their homes, roused by the ruckus. A crowd is forming on the north end of the town, where the two brigades of tanks are parked in formation. Horthy, sitting on top of the lead tank, yells "Fire!" again.

Andorka lights another firework, then scampers away. It screeches into the air, exploding into a silvery flower, and admiring gasps escape the crowd.

A banner has been erected, hung between the main guns of two Toldi tanks, which declares "First Annual MagyarFest!!!" Folding tables have been set up, and lieutenants sit behind them answering questions, serving lemonade, and distributing Széll and Andorka's pamphlets.

Believing that enough of a crowd had formed to make it worth his while, Horthy grabs a cone to use as a megaphone, stands up, and motions for everyone to pay attention to him.

"People of Alsónémedi!" he yells, and is met with enthusiastic cheers; the humble village was never visited by any dignitaries. "I am your Regent, and I am your friend, and I sort of have to pee but I will try to hold it in!"

The enthusiasm is dulled a bit, but he continues.

"Thank you for joining us this... today. Morning! I realize it's... early. But I... we have to, uhm. I'm sorry..." Horthy forgets what he was going to say. Seeing his distress, Miklós Jr. steps up and gently takes the megaphone.

"My father has not gotten much sleep recently!" he bellows, and is rewarded with a few chuckles from the crowd, which is still being joined by stragglers. He continues, "Our nation has been embroiled in war these past months. You have no doubt heard of our foreign exploits already, but I am talking about a secret war, a war taking place within our Royal Palace. Although my father remains lawful Regent of Hungary, he has been abused and exiled, all in the name of furthering the cruel aims of Count István Csáky, who has through forceful and illegitimate means acquired dictatorial power over our once-respectable nation and turned it into an evil empire."

The crowd seems to have mixed feelings; this is all new, and although Csáky is being characterized as evil, the people aren't all that upset by the land reclamation he'd apparently been behind. Miklós attempts to step it up.

"Our conquest of Bulgaria was not provoked. We have no territorial or ancestral claims to their lands. We don't have anything against them! They were our allies in defeat only twenty years ago, betrayed, just as we were, by German hubris and Western greed. They have lost land to Romania, just as we had. But Csáky was not interested in making friends or even in keeping old ones. He merely wanted a convenient staging area for his personal vendetta against Romania. Perhaps some of you claim Transylvanian heritage, and I desire our rightful lands just as much as anyone else. But Csáky did not do it for Hungary. He did it for himself, and he trampled our friends and tarnished our reputation in the process. Will you let a madman speak for you?"

"No!" comes the response.

"Will you let a madman give France and Britain another excuse to rob us of our land, of our people, of our culture?"

"No!"

"Will you let the Crown of St. Stephen be usurped by a snake with no regard for human life or joy?"

"NO!"

"Then will you help me, good people of Alsónémedi, to resist his evil influence?!"

"YEAH!"

"I have said that Csáky is evil and despises joy and humanity. I was not exaggerating! He is likely on his way here as we speak, enraged by reports of a joyous gathering, leading soldiers to crush this party and extinguish your joy. But if we allow him to do that, then what do we really have to live for? Nothing, I say! So it is critically important this morning that you have a good time. Talk to a neighbor you've not spoken to. Make a new friend of someone you'd normally never talk to. Enjoy our lemonade, get to know some of the Hungarian Army's finest and most loyal officers, and feel free to fetch a ball to kick around, have a picnic out here, whatever you wish! It may be Thursday, but by order of the Regent, it is a national holiday!"--more cheers--"And only by removing Csáky, the enemy of happiness, from power will you and all of Hungary be able to enjoy it! So have a blast this morning, and I guarantee you, Csáky will have a blast of his own!"

--------------------​

July 1, 1937, 0645
Outskirts of Budapest, West (Janós Hill)

Budapest and environs​

Széll peers through the binoculars, surveying the city. Morning traffic has begun, but quietude still rules the landscape. Occasional silvery fireworks blossom in the distance.

"It looks like people are waking up down there," he says. "But we still gotta wait for his signal, then we'll move out."

The tank commander is nervous. "You sure we can't just... you know... take the truck?"

"We're supposed to be being stealthy. Besides, without any room to maneuver it wouldn't help us anyway. Just be ready to... oh, wait."

Three red fireworks are launched from the southeast side of the city--Horthy's party. "That's it," says Széll. "Let's go."

The commander motions his crew forward, takes a baleful look at the abandoned truck, and starts trotting down the hill towards Budapest.

--------------------​

July 1, 1937, 06:50
Outskirts of Budapest, Southeast (Village of Alsónémedi)

Miklós Jr. is bouncing his leg up and down, waiting for the column of troops to arrive and hoping Széll saw the signal. The flat farmland affords an excellent view of at least three infantry brigades--it doesn't appear to be all the troops in from the city, but it's certainly most of them. Maybe this plan would work after all.

The tanks have been turned around to face north, away from the town and toward the approaching soldiers. Each tank has been skeleton-crewed with only two members, one of whom is popping his head out and being very visible, while the other three men join a small contingent of foot soldiers; makeshift infantry, positioned in shallow ranks in front of the armor. Support vehicles have been spread around to make the sea of machinery look fuller and more impregnable. This is about appearances, not combat efficiency. With any luck, 9,000 soldiers would think twice before obeying any order to attack 160 tanks and a few guys in front of them.

The soldiers halt a couple kilometers away, and a small squadron of cars speeds towards Horthy's army. Smiling jovially, Horthy hops off a tank and smooths out his uniform. He walks in front of his men, stands tall, and waits for Csáky to arrive.

 

[loki100]

brilliant update, especially:

and with several unrelated, normally pastry-centric, digressions

:rofl:

 

[unmerged(87183)]

Great update! One of your best!

We need to hope Horthy is clear of cobwebs at this crucial Moment! Maybe show him that image of the Submarine again to get his blood boiling. He has his most rational thoughts when he is raving mad it seems.

 

[Myth]

The final showdown is approaching!

 

[Ghery]

Tension is almost at climax! And would you move that nice map of yours further north to include my town?

 

[unmerged(88697)]

What came first--

Beer or sausage?

MagyarFest! MagyarFest!!

 

[HungaryForBlood]

loki100: Thank you! I appreciate your appreciation of my writing. It's enthusiasm like yours that keeps me going!

Maj. von Mauser: Thank you!! As for Horthy's state of mind, much will be made clear with part 2 of the chapter finale. Can anyone say... flashbacks!?

Myth: Hell yes it is. And I've been working very hard to make it suitably exciting!

Ghery: As you can tell, I'm drawing the tension out a little longer than I should have, but I swear you will be able to leave the edge of your seat soon...

My horribly ugly map needed to include the city and Alsónémedi, and figuring out which general locations to color as urbanized was difficult enough without adding more on. It's not totally accurate of course, but I did do some research by taking a modern-day satellite photo of the area and cross-referencing it with a 1910 map of the area, and guessing what a 1937 version would probably contain. For anyone who's interested in old maps, the one I used is a great one at http://lazarus.elte.hu/hun/digkonyv/topo/3felmeres.htm. Click on an area to show a huge closeup of that square. And that site has plenty of other maps as well, but this one is just outstandingly detailed.

Valentinan: Someone should totally start a MagyarFest in major world cities. Enter the Paprika Pavilion and pledge fealty to the Ladies of Lecsó to obtain your meal! Experience the Corvin Caverns' royal museum and gift shop! Ride a pony... in full hussar outfitting!

-------------------

I really have been working on the next update quite a bit. I must warn you, it is almost entirely text. Action will start up again in the next chapter, but for this first chapter's finale, most of the excitement will be in the written word. The influences are the TV show Lost as well as the narrative structure of the original Star Wars trilogy; this finale will be an initial redemptive victory, but only the beginning of the real fight. It's coming soon, from HFB Productions.... It will also include an improved and more flexible Dramatis Personae banner! huzzah!

anyway, thanks for your patience...

 

[HungaryForBlood]

July 22, 1901, 12:00
Arad, Arad County, Kingdom of Hungary

"Alright, buddy, are you ready?"

"Don't rush me, Zsolt!"

"I'm not rushing you, man, it's time to get married! What, you got cold feet now?"

"No, man, I just... it's scary, you know?"

"You can sail around on one of those rickety ships for months at a time, but you can't marry a lady? Just treat her like one of those boats, and you'll be just fine, I swear."

"Magdolna's so beautiful, Zsolt. I just don't want to make any mistakes."

"Life isn't about not making any mistakes, Miklós. It's about knowing how to handle it when you do."

---------------------​

July 1, 1937, 07:00
Village of Alsónémedi

"Miklóssss."

"István. How can I help you today?"

"Dissssperse your pattthhhhetic little uprising and turn yoursssself in, and I promissse you will not suffer... unduly."

"Ooh, sounds like... a good deal there, my good man. But I dunno, I mean, it's hard to trust a guy who would kidnap my daughter and kick me out of my own palace. Call it trust issues."

"I am a man of very little pATIENCE!!" screams Csáky, his face reddening. "You will remove thissss scum"--he waves his hand dismissively at the gathered soldiers and tanks--"from my territory immediately if you do not wissssh them to be utterly dessstroyed by the loyal sssoldiers of Budapessst!"

"I know your lack of patience well, István. That is why it seems to me you wouldn't bother to come talk to me unless you were... I dunno... scared, a little. But really, you should just calm down and join our festival here. There's extra lemonade!"

Csáky's eyes widen and he takes a step towards Horthy. Miklós Jr. steps out from behind a tank and strolls up to back up his father, a pistol in his hand ostentatiously displayed. Csáky takes stock anew of the situation, and decides he'd rather fight this battle with the help of a few thousand soldiers. He swivels around in a huff and starts toward his car.

"Whoa there," says Miklós Jr. "Leaving so soon? Cause... I wouldn't, if I were you."

Csáky turns around to see that a few dozen of the leftover tank crew members have joined Horthy and son in brandishing firearms. Csaky's own posse of guards becomes wary; they aren't too excited about getting into a fight with their own countrymen.

Csáky glares at the assembled forces. "You want me to ssssstop?" He spits on the ground in their direction. "Make me."

---------------------​

February 14, 1907, 13:57
Póla, Kingdom of Austria

"You can do it!" says Horthy earnestly.

"I KNOW, SHUT UP AND LET ME!" screams his wife.

"Sir," says the nurse, taking Horthy aside, "Perhaps you'd prefer to wait outside?"

"Uhm... yes, perhaps I'd better." He takes another look at his Magdolna, sweaty and disheveled from hours of labor but still the most beautiful woman he's ever known.

Exiting the room, he catches Zsolt's eye and shrugs. "Not much for me to do in there."

"Childbirth is a woman's territory, it's true. I'm surprised you're even here, Commander."

"I haven't missed one of my children's births. I'm not about to start now. Besides, it's not like we're at war. I can take a couple weeks for my family."

"Well, you're a better husband than I'll ever be."

"Oh, hush. You and Katya are doing just--"

"Commander Horthy?" Doctor Kulišić opens the bedroom door. "You have a healthy son."

Horthy grins wildly and jaunts towards the bedroom, his wife, and his fourth child. He would be called Miklós Jr.

---------------------​

July 1, 1937, 07:05
Budapest, West Border

Széll and Tank Commander Veress come to a stop, the four soldiers bringing up the rear.

"Everyone looking.... non-descript?" asks Széll. "Private, your cap." The soldier, embarrassed, snatches the felt cap from his head and stuffs it in a knapsack.

Széll knew they wouldn't stand up to any real scrutiny. But with any luck, a quiet stroll through the city wouldn't raise any red flags amongst the populace. Nobody would recognize the out-of-power Minister of Security, would they? He tries to determine the optimal direction to travel; the direct route goes through a residential district, where a group of six men walking silently might be kind of strange. On the other hand, there wouldn't be as many people to see them. But if they went around and through the market district, they'd blend in better; plus, Széll wouldn't mind picking up a vegetable dumpling for breakfast.

"Come on," he says, heading towards the markets. "We've got a castle to infiltrate."

---------------------​

March 1, 1920, 20:10
Horthy Residence, Budapest

"Regent, huh?"

"Yep. That makes you Főméltóságú Asszony."

"Not much of a ring to it, is there? I still prefer Magda."

"And so you shall always be. But now, Magda, you will have a public presence and power you've never had. Are you going to be okay with that?"

Magdolna offers skeptical eyebrows to her husband, silently rebuking him for even asking the question. He raises his arms in a gesture of innocence.

"Alright, alright, just asking. I have to get to work, though. The Communists aren't going to rest just because we've kicked them out of Budapest. And I have a feeling Charles doesn't have enough marketable skills in the real world to be content with losing his crown. I did not seek the Regency, Magdolna, but I am glad to have received it. We need to draw ourselves out of the aftermath of Austria-Hungary, and I believe I am a man who can do that."

"I know you are, Miklós. Just don't forget about me and the kids."

Horthy smiles. "I never have, Magda. And I never will."

---------------------​

July 1, 1937, 07:06
Village of Alsónémedi

"You are a coward, Horthy! I do not ffffear you or your pitiful army."

"And yet..." Horthy sweeps his hand around, inviting the black-eyed Csáky to take in the scene around him. The evil Foreign Minister has been restrained by the younger Horthy, and his honor guard disarmed. Confronted with Horthy's calm and powerful demeanor, contrasted with Csáky's uncharismatic hatred, they had lost any inclination they might have had to shoot the Regent and his troops. Some of the tank crew are chatting with the captured infantrymen now, helping them understand the situation.

Csáky knows he has made a tactical error here. By personally and publicly confronting Horthy, he's lost an edge of authority and allowed his soldiers to become doubtful of the mission. He should have just had them attack as soon as they could. But Csáky is not a man who was used to being denied, and Horthy had been so weak before...

But he's still weak. A man does not change like that, not for real. Now, seeing the forces up close, it's clear that these tanks are relatively flimsy, and the supply trucks mixed amongst them are no threats at all. The soldiers are few and far between, and they all look like fresh recruits. If he can just get back to his men, this whole thing could be over with one "Charge!" But first he has to get away from these ninnies.

"What do you want from me, ssssscum? My men will ssssoon launch an attack, so I assssk merely out of curiossssity."

"You will remove yourself from power," says Miklos Jr., "and publicly declare your voluntary resignation. Your traitorous men will have the chance to re-enlist on a probationary basis. Your deputy and puppet ministers will be quietly sent to retirement in the countryside. And you will never set foot in Hungary again. It's over, Count."

Csáky sneers. "Not by a long shot, Junior Ssstupid."

---------------------​

November 20, 1935, 14:00
Budapest, Royal Palace

"Even as winter approaches, the gardens are so beautiful. I don't know that I'll ever grow tired of them."

"Ah, but what you do not know, my dear Magda, is that when you are not here, they are drab and dreary, wilted collections of pathetic weeds struggling to hold on to life. It is your presence which lifts them and fills them with such vibrancy and joy."

"Oh, Miklós, stop it!"

"But it is true, my love. All of life is brighter with you as part of it. Hungary owes you a great debt; for without you, I could not have served as Regent for all these years."

"Nonsense. You are a born Magyar leader, Miklós, no use denying it."

"Thank you, my dear, but I don't know where I could lead this nation. We have been castrated and exiled from the community of nations. Our people are distracted by bitterness and a longing for the past, and have no desire to resign themselves to the present... and I can't say I blame them." Horthy stops to pick an aster flower, and inserts it into his wife's hair.

"But enough about my work," he continues.

"Do not dismiss me! I quite enjoy our political discussions, and it's good for you to get a perspective from someone who isn't a daffy yes-man like your ministers."

"I suppose you think you could do better?"

"Perhaps I could! Mr. Gömbös is too amenable to the ravings of Chancellor Hitler, and--"

"Mr. Gömbös is my dearest friend, despite his occasional poor judgment. I advise you to keep that in mind, Magda."

"Oh, I know, I know. From time to time I wonder that you did not marry him instead of me!"

"Growing saucy, are you? Perhaps you need to be put in your place!" Horthy takes her arm and leads her into a secluded area of the garden.

"Now," he says leeringly, "How about I appoint you Minister of Royal Lovin'?"

Magdolna blushes. "Miklós! What has gotten into you?!"

"I cannot help myself, my dear. You turn me into a base scoundrel. But I do not apologize for that which you force me to do! Now, that blouse looks awfully tight--" Horthy is interrupted by some rustling behind a nearby hedge. His hand sweeps across his body to find his ceremonial sabre as he peers into the shrubbery in search of any threat. But his search is cut short by a muffled yelp from his wife, and then by a powerful disabling grip of his arms. He attempts to kick his assailant, but his leg flies wide, and the resulting lack of balance helps the attacker to push him to the ground. His face pressed against the grass, he can only listen to his wife's frightened screams as she is dragged away.

Hers are soon drowned out, however, by those of several men. It sounds like some sort of conflict, but they're too far away to make out any words. The yelling grows to a crescendo and is suddenly silenced by a gunshot. Three more follow in quick succession. The man restraining Horthy gasps and flees, leaving the Regent to climb to his feet unmolested. Nobody is visible, so Horthy draws his sabre and starts to run toward where all the commotion had been. He is met, however, by a well-dressed man exiting the bushes.

"Stop!" yells Horthy, touching the sabre to the man's chest. "Who are you people? Where is my wife?"

"Regent!" says the man, a look of surprised terror on his face, "I'm not one of them, I... I merely encountered them and... they wouldn't let her go... and... I'm... I did what I could... But I wouldn't go back there if I were you!"

Horthy's eyes widen, and he pushes past the man despite his protests, continuing into the next clearing. Upon viewing the scene waiting for him there, he drops to his knees. Magdolna is there, a dribble of blood already drying down the side of her temple. Three of the assailants lay around her, each also featuring a single bullet to the head. The man from before comes up behind Horthy, followed by several guards who had been drawn by the gunfire. As they frantically check the bodies, the man places a hand on Horthy's shoulder and tries to draw him away from the scene. "Come on."

"One got away," says Horthy.

"What?"

"The one that was holding me. When he heard the gunfire, he ran away. I need to... Guards!"

The captain of the guard trots over. "Sir! Are you alright? Is this man bothering you?"

"Am I alright? Am I alright? Oh, yeah, sure, no, I'm fine. Could go for some waffles. But all things considered, I'm just... I'm..." Horthy's sarcasm morphs into desperate tears and he crumples to the ground, sobbing. The captain kneels down to console the Regent, and the other man attempts to defuse the awkwardness by slinking away. But Horthy looks up at him.

"Hey!" he says. "Heroic friend, what is your name?"

The man stops and turns back towards Horthy. With a flourish he introduces himself. "Count István Csáky," he says, "at your sssservice."

---------------------​

July 1, 1937, 07:09
Village of Alsónémedi

"So you refuse to surrender, then?" asks Miklós Jr.

"Fool," replies Csáky, sitting cross-legged on the ground, "I have already won. Even if you kill me, my planssss will see themssselves to fruition. But it mattersss not, for you are nothing but a pansy tennissss player! You could never pull the trigger!"

"I rescued my sister, didn't I?"

"You gently chloroformed two incompetent guardssss. Pah!" Csáky spits at Miklós' feet.

"They were good Hungarian soldiers, tricked by you into assisting your evil. They did not deserve to die. But you, on the other hand... You took my sick sister from her home, from her husband. You may have been a hero once, but you are nothing more than a pathetic fascist bully now. And look! Your soldiers are just standing there, doing nothing to help you, because they too are good Hungarian soldiers. And you are treasonous scum."

Csáky grins a hateful grin as he looks up to meet Miklós' gaze. "You undersssstand nothing. You may dissssmiss me as evil, you may judge my methods, but I have brought to Hungary more glory than has been seen for cccenturies! Our enemies have been slaughtered, our land has been reclaimed, our people have been repatriated, and YOU have the gall to call ME a traitor? You are an imposssssible waste of humanity, of life!"

Horthy has been listening nearby. Suddenly, he pushes his son aside, approaches Csáky, and plants a boot in his face. Slamming him back to the ground, Horthy bends over and squints. His boot is covering the Count's mouth and nose, but he's interested in the eyes, those dark and hateful eyes. He leans closer and closer, peering into the Foreign Minister's eyes, which are glistening and darting about nervously. Horthy sees something in there that startles him, and he steps back, mouth agape. He turns slowly.

"Son..." he says. "Give me the man's pistol."

"What are you--"

"Just give it to me."

Miklós Jr. removes Csáky's Frommer Baby pistol from his jacket and cautiously hands it to his father, who immediately aims down and fires.

---------------------​

July 1, 1937, 07:15
Budapest, Buda Hill

"We're here!" whispers Széll. "Everybody in!"

The six men file into a non-descript house. It borders the royal district but is not a part of it, and so the ornate architecture and clean paint jobs one might expect this close to the palace are nowhere to be seen. Inside is no better; it looks as though nobody has lived here for decades. Széll leads the group to a bathroom in the rear of the house, plants a foot against the wall, and pulls on a rusty old sink. The sink comes out, and brings a section of the wall with it, creating a doorway through the wall.

Széll takes point, shining a flashlight down the newly-uncovered corridor. It's a fairly steep pathway downwards, but it's wide and clearly manmade. So he starts down, choosing his steps carefully to avoid slipping on the dusty floor. Veress follows, wary of the underground corridors.

Széll leads the group through a veritable maze of caverns, apparently knowing exactly where he's going. The group is silent; not because of any spoken or gestured order, but simply because it seems like this is a place for quietude. They do not stop to gawk, but several nooks and crannies are passed that seem like they hold sarcophagi or ancient treasures. Finally, one of the soldiers asks, "What is this place?"

Széll replies, "These are the Caves. Some are man-made labyrinths, some are natural formations from the hot springs. But they'll be our doorway into the castle. We're almost there."

Suddenly several figures step out from a connecting corridor several dozen meters away and activate a floodlight pointed at Széll's group. "I'm not so sure about that," says a voice from the new arrivals, and they begin to shoot.

Blinded by the light and unable to see any targets, Széll scrambles to the side behind an outcropping. A couple of his soldiers are hit immediately, and one is instantly killed. The other falls to the ground screaming. Széll peeks out and sees him clutching a bloody leg. "Private!" he hisses. "Over here!" The soldier tries to regain his self-control and drags himself towards Széll until the Security Minister can reach his arms and pull him the rest of the way.

Veress is taking cover on the other side of the corridor with the two other soldiers. Using hand signals, Veress and Széll agree that the floodlight needs to be shot out. Széll grabs his pistol and one of Veress' men readies his rifle. Széll counts down from three, and when his last finger falls, they both lean out from their cover and fire at the light. Return fire instantly comes back; Széll hears a rifle bullet whiz past his ear and ducks back down. From the other side of the cavern, a sickening *splat* is heard, and the soldier's brain becomes part of the natural cave formation. The shock and adrenaline fade enough, however, to allow Széll to realize that the light is gone. He glances over at Veress, who nods. Széll aims his flashlight and leans out again to begin firing. At the same time, Veress takes his man's position, and the remaining uninjured soldier steps out, takes a knee, and begins firing his rifle.

The men at the other end of the tunnel, stunned and unable to remove themselves from their entrenched positions in time, are routed. Several are hit, and the last flees back down the corridor from which he came. Imbued with a retributional bloodlust, Széll runs after the fleeing man, screaming and firing as soon as he glimpses him. Veress and his man follow, and soon they arrive at an entrance into a castle cellar.

"Well," says Széll, nudging the corpse at his feet to make sure it's dead, "We're here. We'll have to go back for your wounded man later."

"He'll be okay," says Veress. "But what's the plan now? There's only the three of us."

"No problem," replies Széll, still breathing heavily. "There's only one of him."

---------------------​

November 24, 1935, 12:30
Budapest, Royal Palace

Horthy is pacing around the Royal Break Room, waiting for his pot of water to boil. He alternately smiles and frowns, teetering on a brink between chuckling and hysteria.

Gömbös enters the room and seems a little surprised to see Horthy. "Regent!" he says. "Uhm... how's it going?"

"Oh, fine, just waiting for the, uh... my... where's Magda?"

"She's... still gone, sir."

"Of course, of course, of course. I'm sure she'll be back any day now. Then she'll make her delicious, delicious waffles!"

"Rrright. I'm, just..." Gömbös trails off as he grabs a pastry and swiftly exits the room.

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July 1, 1937, 07:15
Village of Alsónémedi

Csáky cowers at the sound of the gunshot.

Horthy has fired into the ground next to Csáky's head, but he's been infused with a new rage. He slams a boot back onto Csáky's face and growls "You."

The younger Horthy tries to restrain his father. "Dad, what're you--"

"Quiet. This man killed your mother."

"But... what? I thought--"

"That's what he wanted us to think. He was behind the whole thing. He double-crossed his men and shot them, and shot her."

Though momentarily surprised at his father's confident coherency, Mikós recovers and asks, "But how do you know? Nobody saw--"

"I heard."

"What?"

"I heard the gunshots. If what he said had been true, then I should have heard one shot from the attackers, followed by three from his gun, this gun." Horthy holds up the tiny pistol.

"But what I heard," he continues, "was four of the same gunshot. Four shots from this pistol. It was all him. And then he just used me to seize power. He took advantage of... and he... he took Paulette! He has assaulted our... our family and our, our country, and he needs to die, Miklós! He needs... I need... we... we all need him dead."

Even under Horthy's heavy boot, Csáky's cackle is audible. "Sssso, not so ssssssssenile anymore, are you?" he mumbles.

Horthy removes his boot. Csáky sits up cautiously, staring down the barrel of his own pistol and allowing himself to hope for a merciful reprieve. Horthy takes a step back and takes a deep breath, slightly lowering the pistol. Csáky's face shows the beginnings of a triumphant grin before Horthy snickers and says, "You wish. But oh man are you gonna die, you speech-impeded motherfucker."

The ensuing shot pierces Csáky's left eye and exits neatly through the back of his skull. His head is slammed back to the ground for the final time, and Horthy tosses the pistol aside.

Stunned, Miklós Jr. steps back before regaining his posture. "Dad..."

"Let's go join up with those infantrymen and get back home," says the Regent, gesturing toward the division Csáky had left behind. "Széll should just about have finished making my bed by now."

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July 1, 1937, 07:33
Budapest, Royal Palace

Széll is hiding in an armoire. Veress is under the bed, and the other soldier is where "behind the door" would be once the door was opened. They had been waiting for a few minutes, and know that it might be a while before they got any payoff. But once Csáky has been dealt with, it shouldn't be long before his underlings get nervous and--

The door swings open, thwacking the soldier behind it in the face and alerting the entrant to his presence. But as he scrambles for the pistol in his nightstand, Széll and Veress exit their hiding places and point their own guns at him. "Don't touch it, Darányi," says Széll.

The portly Security Minister sneers. But he's outnumbered and outgunned, so he raises his hands.

"You're too late," he says.

"For what?"

"You'll see, soon enough."

"Hmm. Yeah, that's the difference between you and me. Also, I want my goddamn job back. Oh man, I just can't think of the right quippy thing to say before killing you! How about this: The following constitutes your mid-year performance review. Results were... unsatisfactory." Széll shoots Kalmán Darányi twice in the chest.

The sounds of gunfire bring guards rushing towards the room. Arms raised, Széll exits the room to meet them. "It's alright, men! I am Széll Jószef, Security Minister. The situation here is under control. We just had a bit of a rat infestation. Also, I don't know if you've heard, but Count Csáky has been... fired."

Confused, the soldiers come to a halt and glance at each other. They do indeed recognize the man, and if Csáky is no longer calling the shots, they figure it would probably be best to go with the flow in this case. And anyway, palace guard duty is supposed to be quiet and non-dangerous, so they feel no need to cut against the grain here. The ranking officer shrugs and motions for Széll to continue past him.

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July 1, 1937, 10:15
Budapest, Royal Palace

"Thanks for coming, everyone," says Horthy. "I promise this will be the shortest staff meeting on record."

Nervous chuckles escape the attendees.

"Now, thank you all for your warm welcomes. I'm happy to report that this whole unfortunate incident cost our nation only nine lives and one wounded soldier. It is a testament to the loyalty of our troops and the horribleness of Csáky's rule that no significant forces, when faced with the reality of what they were ordered to do, would step up to defend him. I made a mistake last year in appointing him as Foreign Minister. Though I might attempt to mitigate my guilt by mentioning the ways in which he callously manipulated me and all of us, the fact remains that I made an error. That error has been rectified, however, and I look forward to the future of Hungary. We have a lot to do to prepare for it, but we'll reconvene tomorrow morning with fresh heads. Today has been declared a national holiday, and boy, do I need a bath. And a nap. And where the HELL are my goddamn waffles?"

CHAPTER 1 END

Stay tuned for Chapter 2: Vérszerződés!​

 

[Myth]

So, the Hungarian civil strife is finally at an end, of sorts! Horthy cannot lose!

 

[MastahCheef117]

Now... where are the submarines?

 

[HungaryForBlood]

Myth: Yes... "for now" is right. And of course Horthy must always prevail! It's his story, after all.

MastahCheef117: Oh don't you worry. Staff meetings galore await you! Production, technology, tactical deployments, etc. etc....

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The plan is to do a staff meeting/run-down as an epilogue for this first chapter, then skip forward a while as the prologue to the next chapter. That'll allow me to build up a bit and get us closer to the time when the AI might start declaring some wars.

 

[Juan_de_Marco]

wow man, great job! This is actually one of the first AARs with a narrative rather than gameplay that I got interested in. Well done that man!

 

[unmerged(87183)]

That was a great update! I like how you tied the past and present together, very good work.

So Csaky has finally been eliminated! I'm interested to see how the cabinet situation is sorted out, and how everything is eplained to the public.

And we still have the problem with Gombos, if you know how to mod, I think it would be neat to mod Horthy Jr. in as Prime Minister. He understands his dad well, and is able to explain things when "The Boss" get's sidetracked.

Anyways, I look forward to the next chapter!

 

[Palmyrene]

Fantastic update, great writing. Really enjoyed the way you cut from present to past and back. Lots of tension.

Looking forward to seeing what Horthy has got planned now he's back in the saddle.

I imagine the waffle and pastry makers are delighted at the increase in business the reinstated Regent will be putting their way.

 

[Ghery]

Vérszerződés, eh? You know, you can really get me hooked on this AAR And nice ending btw.